Whisky tax cut of huge potential benefit

Sun, 08/02/2009 - 18:44

SNP Westminster Leader, Angus Robertson MP, has seized on figures from independent economic consultant GEN which reveal a 2.5% cut in whisky duty could have generated £733m for the Scottish economy – double the benefit of the equivalent cut in VAT which was put in place at the last Pre-Budget Report.

Mr Robertson’s Moray constituency contains more than half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries and he is Vice-Chairman of the All-Party Scotch Whisky Industry Group.

Commenting, Mr Robertson said:

"The whisky sector is one of Scotland's key industries both in export, earnings and employment terms, and the Government has a responsibility to support it.

"Instead of implementing this measure which would have been hugely beneficial, the Chancellor hid a whisky tax hike in his Pre-Budget Report which would have been disastrous for the Scottish whisky industry.

"It was the SNP Group at Westminster who forced the Treasury to reconsider while the Scotland Office stood back and did nothing.

"Instead of picking fights with his colleagues in Edinburgh, Jim Murphy should step up to the mark and use these figures to argue for a fairer taxation regime for this Scottish vital industry."